Atalanta promise effort

Stefano Colantuono has promised that Atalanta will see out a testing final three fixtures of the season in competitive spirits.

Stefano Colantuono has promised that Atalanta will see out a testing final three fixtures of the season in competitive spirits.

The Orobici mathematically confirmed their stay for another season in Serie A at the weekend, when a win over Fiorentina extended their gap over the relegation zone to 10 points with three games left.

However, with the Nerazzurri set to play title rivals Milan and Juventus away from home in between a home fixture with Champions League-chasing Lazio, Coach Colantuono has promised that his team won’t roll over to three defeats.

“We want to improve even more, so we’ll play until the end,” the 49-year-old told the assembled media on Monday afternoon.

“We have to run and fight as well, to play these final games with the same determination - in the next three games we will meet motivated teams. But, we also want to boost the League ranking so as to make our season all the more beautiful.”

The Coach has been linked with a move in the summer to a bigger club, but he had some words of reassurance for Atalanta fans.

“As long as I am wanted I will stay here. There are no sirens. The work we have done can be seen by everyone, but I would like to stay in Bergamo.

“The [team’s success] is down continuity of results. I remember someone in the first round of fixtures predicted our decline, but that did not happen.

“We won the same number of points in the second round. There were predictable difficulties, but even in those moments we were shown to be competitive, like the first games with Milan and Juventus.”